Dimitris Makris
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Dimitrios Makris (, 1772–1841) was a Greek
klepht Klephts (; Greek κλέφτης, ''kléftis'', pl. κλέφτες, ''kléftes'', which means "thieves" and perhaps originally meant just "brigand": "Other Greeks, taking to the mountains, became unofficial, self-appointed armatoles and were know ...
and armatolos who was one of the most powerful chieftains in West Central Greece. He joined the
Filiki Eteria Filiki Eteria () or Society of Friends () was a secret political and revolutionary organization founded in 1814 in Odesa, Odessa, whose purpose was to overthrow Ottoman Empire, Ottoman rule in Ottoman Greece, Greece and establish an Independenc ...
and became a revolutionary during the
Greek War of Independence The Greek War of Independence, also known as the Greek Revolution or the Greek Revolution of 1821, was a successful war of independence by Greek revolutionaries against the Ottoman Empire between 1821 and 1829. In 1826, the Greeks were assisted ...
.


Early life

Dimitrios Makris was born in 1772 in Gavalou,
Evrytania Evrytania ( ; ) is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the modern regions of Greece, region of Central Greece (administrative region), Central Greece. Its capital is Karpenisi (approx. 8,000 inhabitants). Geography Evrytania is ...
. His father was Evangelos Makris, who had taken part in the Greek revolt in 1770. After his death Dimitrios became Captain in the district of Zyghos.


Greek War of Independence

He was originally a
klepht Klephts (; Greek κλέφτης, ''kléftis'', pl. κλέφτες, ''kléftes'', which means "thieves" and perhaps originally meant just "brigand": "Other Greeks, taking to the mountains, became unofficial, self-appointed armatoles and were know ...
under Captain Georgios Sfaltos, and took over command of his band after Sfaltos' death. He was appointed an armatolos at Zygos, and never collaborated with Ali Pasha of Janina. He acquired much wealth by plundering the Turks at Vrachori. He was initiated into the
Filiki Eteria Filiki Eteria () or Society of Friends () was a secret political and revolutionary organization founded in 1814 in Odesa, Odessa, whose purpose was to overthrow Ottoman Empire, Ottoman rule in Ottoman Greece, Greece and establish an Independenc ...
just before the revolution was launched in Western Greece on May 5, 1821. He participated as a representative of Zygos in the Assembly of Western Continental Greece in 1821. He participated in many battles against the Ottoman Turks including the
Third Siege of Missolonghi The third siege of Missolonghi (, often erroneously referred to as the second siege) was fought in the Greek War of Independence, between the Ottoman Empire and the Greek rebels, from 15 April 1825 to 10 April 1826. The Ottomans had already trie ...
. During the siege Dimitrios Makris married Eupraxia, daughter of the city's notable Samos Razi-Kotsikas. He later fought in
Agrinio Agrinio (Greek language, Greek: Αγρίνιο, ; Latin: ''Agrinium'') is the largest city of the Aetolia-Acarnania regional units of Greece, regional unit of Greece and its largest municipality, with 89,691 inhabitants (2021) as well as the seco ...
and
Aitoliko Aitoliko (Greek: Αιτωλικό) is a town and a former municipality in Aetolia-Acarnania, West Greece, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform, it is part of the municipality Messolonghi, of which it is a municipal unit. The municipal uni ...
and with the collaboration of
Georgios Karaiskakis Georgios Karaiskakis (), born Georgios Karaiskos (; 1782–1827), was a Greek military commander and a leader of the Greek War of Independence. Early life Karaiskakis was a Sarakatsani. His father was the armatolos of the Valtos district, D ...
troops attacked and repulsed a body of
Albanians The Albanians are an ethnic group native to the Balkan Peninsula who share a common Albanian ancestry, Albanian culture, culture, Albanian history, history and Albanian language, language. They are the main ethnic group of Albania and Kosovo, ...
. Soon after he joined the troops of
Alexandros Mavrokordatos Alexandros Mavrokordatos (; 11 February 179118 August 1865) was a Greek statesman, diplomat, politician and member of the Mavrocordatos family of Phanariotes. Biography In 1812, Mavrokordatos went to the court of his uncle John George Caradja ...
. In 1823 he was named a general in the rebel army. After the establishment of the Greek kingdom Makris refrained from accepting any political and military honors. He returned to his home town, where he eventually died in 1841.


Historical relics

Numerous weapons of Dimitros Makris are preserved in the City Hall of Missolonghi including the sword which he used in the Exodus of
Missolonghi Missolonghi or Mesolongi (, ) is a municipality of 32,048 people (according to the 2021 census) in western Greece. The town is the capital of Aetolia-Acarnania regional unit, and the seat of the municipality of Iera Polis Mesolongiou (). Missolon ...
, which belonged to his ancestral family and dates back to the old fighters of 1732. The museum also hold his famous silver rifle, the Liaros.


See also

*
Alexandros Mavrokordatos Alexandros Mavrokordatos (; 11 February 179118 August 1865) was a Greek statesman, diplomat, politician and member of the Mavrocordatos family of Phanariotes. Biography In 1812, Mavrokordatos went to the court of his uncle John George Caradja ...


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Makris, Dimitrios 1770s births 1841 deaths People from Aetolia-Acarnania Greek generals Revolutionaries from the Ottoman Empire Greek military leaders of the Greek War of Independence 18th-century Greek people 19th-century Greek military personnel Members of the Royal Phalanx